--- name: "Berry Kroeger" canonical: "https://film.one/person/berry-kroeger" fi1m_id: "berry-kroeger" imdb_id: "nm0471854" tmdb_id: 85988 wikidata_id: "Q827162" roles: ["Actor"] born: "16 October 1912" died: "4 January 1991" reviewed_on_fi1m: 1 average_as: "actor" average_over: 1 updated: "2026-09-25T04:36:12.748570+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Berry Kroeger ## Identity Berry Kroeger - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/berry-kroeger - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** berry-kroeger - **IMDb ID:** nm0471854 - **TMDB ID:** 85988 - **Wikidata ID:** Q827162 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berry_Kroeger, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q827162, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471854/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/85988 Actor. Born 16 October 1912 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Died 4 January 1991. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 16 October 1912, San Antonio, Texas, USA - **Died:** 4 January 1991 - **Also known as:** Walker Berry Kroeger, Barry Kroeger, Berry Kroger, Barry Kroger - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berry_Kroeger, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q827162, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471854/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/85988 ## Streaming the US now - **Tubi:** [*Gun Crazy*](https://film.one/film/gun-crazy.md) (86) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Berry Kroeger > Berry Kroeger made screen villainy sound almost respectable, using a smooth, radio-trained voice to make unpleasant men worth listening to. We value his supporting work, though repeated casting as a heavy gave him too few opportunities to surprise us. The voice is smooth; the leer gives rather more away. Berry Kroeger’s heavies combine a radio-trained delivery with a burly presence, so a threat need not arrive at full volume. In *Gun Crazy* (1950), his Packett is a useful example of how much a supporting actor can establish without becoming the centre of the film. We rate Kroeger as a specialist in these disreputable men, although his readily recognisable manner can leave little room for surprise. Joseph H. Lewis’s film is the place to begin, provided Kroeger is not the sole reason for choosing it. Peggy Cummins and John Dall carry the crime romance, while Kroeger’s Packett supplies a memorable supporting dose of sleaze. We were tense watching *Gun Crazy*: Lewis keeps his camera uncomfortably close to the two leads. The writing sometimes simplifies their dependence, but the performances give us ample reason to recommend it without making Kroeger responsible for everything that works. Radio had already given Kroeger work as a suave lead before films made such regular use of him as a heavy. William Wellman’s *The Iron Curtain* (1948) began that screen career, followed by the noir parts on which much of his reputation rests. As the crooked lawyer W.A. Niles in Robert Siodmak’s *Cry of the City* (1948), and as Johnny in *Act of Violence* (1949), he helped establish the expectation of trouble that accompanied his casting. Later exploitation work, including *Chamber of Horrors* (1966) and *The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant* (1971), kept him close to villainy and eccentricity. There was room for self-mockery on television: a *Get Smart* appearance had him caricaturing Sydney Greenstreet. The risk with Kroeger is that we recognise the villain before we have much reason to be curious about the man. Start with *Gun Crazy*, then, and keep an ear on the supporting cast. ## Biography Berry Kroeger was an American actor who appeared in films, television and on stage. Born in San Antonio, Texas, he began his career in radio as an announcer on Suspense and as an actor, including a stint playing The Falcon. He was a regular as Sam Williams on the daytime drama Young Doctor Malone. Kroeger made his Broadway debut in 1943 and was discovered by director William Wellman while performing in Joan of Lorraine. He began appearing in films in 1948, often cast as villains, including roles in The Iron Curtain (1948), Cry of the City (1948), Act of Violence (1949) and as Packett in Gun Crazy (1950). He portrayed the High Lama in the 1956 Broadway musical Shangri-La. Kroeger appeared in dozens of television programmes, including seven episodes of Perry Mason, and guest roles in Get Smart and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. His later film credits include Young Frankenstein (1974) and Demon Seed (1977). He died in Los Angeles in 1991. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (1) - *Gun Crazy* (1950), Fi1m 86, as Packett — [page](https://film.one/film/gun-crazy.md) ## Complete filmography (77) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Demon Seed* (1977), as Petrosian - *The Centerfold Murders* (1975), as Von Hecht - *The Man in the Glass Booth* (1975), as Joachim Berger - *Young Frankenstein* (1974), as First Village Elder (uncredited) - *Pets* (1973), as The Art Connoisseur - *The Seven Minutes* (1971), as Paul Van Fleet - *The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant* (1971), as Max - *The Mephisto Waltz* (1971), as Raymont - *The Wild Scene* (1970), as Tim O'Shea - *Tora! Tora! Tora!* (1970), as U.S. Army General (uncredited) - *Nightmare in Wax* (1969), as Max Black - *Garrison's Gorillas* (1967), series, Actor - *Chamber of Horrors* (1966), as Chun Sing - *The F.B.I.* (1965), series, as Alvin Holmquist - *Get Smart* (1965), series, as Fat Man - *Run for Your Life* (1965), series, as Mr. Klein - *Youngblood Hawke* (1964), as Jock Maas - *The Time Travelers* (1964), as Preston - *Daniel Boone* (1964), series, as Governor of Virginia, William Creighton - *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.* (1964), series, as Frame - *Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea* (1964), series, as Chairman - *Burke's Law* (1963), series, as General Henri Zachron - *Womanhunt* (1962), Actor - *Hitler* (1962), as Ernst Röhm - *Atlantis: The Lost Continent* (1961), as Surgeon - *The Americans* (1961), series, Actor - *Mister Ed* (1961), series, Actor - *The Roaring 20's* (1960), series, Actor - *Surfside 6* (1960), series, Actor - *The Walking Target* (1960), as Arnie Hoffman - *Pete and Gladys* (1960), series, Actor - *Thriller* (1960), series, as Paul Mowry - *The Tall Man* (1960), series, Actor - *The Story of Ruth* (1960), as Huphim - *The Chevy Mystery Show* (1960), series, as General Bell, Bermudez, Commissioner of Police, Colonel Geraldine - *Seven Thieves* (1960), as Hugo Baumer - *Mr. Lucky* (1959), series, Actor - *Hawaiian Eye* (1959), series, Actor - *Adventures in Paradise* (1959), series, as Inspector Riebold - *Tightrope* (1959), series, Actor - *World of Giants* (1959), series, as Dugger - *77 Sunset Strip* (1958), series, Actor - *Man with a Camera* (1958), series, Actor - *Behind Closed Doors* (1958), series, Actor - *The Rifleman* (1958), series, Actor - *Bronco* (1958), series, Actor - *Peter Gunn* (1958), series, Actor - *Perry Mason* (1957), series, as Eugene Jarech, Ernest Wray, Donald J. Evanson, Edgar Whitehead, Darius Tyson, Kirk Cameron, Rexford Wyler - *The Thin Man* (1957), series, Actor - *Richard Diamond, Private Detective* (1957), series, as Raoul Lopez - *Mayerling* (1957), as Headwaiter - *Man in the Vault* (1956), as Willis Trent - *Blood Alley* (1955), as Old Feng - *Yellowneck* (1955), as Plunkett - *Inner Sanctum* (1954), series, Actor - *Battles of Chief Pontiac* (1952), as Col. von Weber - *Four Star Playhouse* (1952), series, as Detmar, Gen. Feng, Walter Pomeroy, Nick - *Pontius Pilate* (1952), as Caiaphas - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Goya, Benedict Arnold - *The Sword of Monte Cristo* (1951), as Minister Charles La Roche - *Little Women: Jo's Story* (1950), as Mr. Lawrence - *Little Women: Meg's Story* (1950), as Mr. Lawrence - *Lux Video Theatre* (1950), series, as M. Didot - *A Passenger to Bali* (1950), as Mr. Walkes - *Guilty of Treason* (1950), as Hungarian State Police Col. Timar - *Gun Crazy* (1950), as Packett — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/gun-crazy.md) - *Fighting Man of the Plains* (1949), as Cliff Bailey - *Chicago Deadline* (1949), as Solly Wellman - *Black Magic* (1949), as Alexandre Dumas, Sr. - *Down to the Sea in Ships* (1949), as Manchester - *Act of Violence* (1949), as Johnny - *Suspense* (1949), series, as Lord Sannox, Fulco - *The Dark Past* (1948), as Mike - *Studio One* (1948), series, as Baron Tito Belcredi, Rembrandt Van Rijn, Mr. Walkes, Mr. Lawrence, Caiaphas, Sir Sagramor - *Cry of the City* (1948), as W. A. Niles - *The Iron Curtain* (1948), as John Grubb, aka 'Paul' - *Tom, Dick and Harry* (1941), as Boy Lead in Movie (uncredited) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/berry-kroeger